Even with Jose Guillen and Gil Meche on the Kansas City disabled list, the Royals will have three ex-Mariners in their lineup tonight against Seattle.

Willie Bloomquist, Miguel Olivo and Yuniesky Betancourt will start for the Royals - and the Mariners get third baseman Adrian Beltre back for the first time in more than a month.

Coming off the finest start in his career, Ryan Rowland-Smith will take on a 41-64 team that just barely outscores the Mariners, who don't outscore anyone, consistently.

Getting his first start since Friday, Kenji Johjima will be behind the plate. Ken Griffey Jr. is hitting cleanup, Beltre fifth behind him.

It's Rowland-Smith vs. Luke Hochever.

Advantage, Mariners

Ichiro Suzuki led off the game by hitting Hochever's second pitch for a home run down the right field line.

It was Ichiro's 30th career home run leading off a game.

In the first: Mariners 1, Royals 0

Wobbly start

Rowland-Smith hit the first batter he faced, walked the second, so when Billy Butler doubled, the Royals scored and had a rally underway.

Alberto Callaspo's sacrifice fly scored Bloomquist and gave Kansas City the lead.

After one: Royals 2, Mariners 1

The U.S.S. Mariners jinx

Good folks on the big boat dared KC hitters to bunt with Beltre in the game, so of cours one did - and Beltre threw the ball away for an error.

Worse, it let catcher Miguel Olivo score all the way from first base.
Guess that proves that even sabermetrics wizards shouldn't get cocky!

After two: Royals 3, Mariners 1

Mariners comback

Rookie Michael Saunders singled,Ichiro singled him to second and both moved up a base on a wild pitch.

With one out, Jose Lopez doubled them both home - RBI #61 and 62 on the season - to tire the game.

Griffey singled Lopez home with the lead, picking up his fifth RBI on the trip.

In the third: Mariners 4, Royals 3

The Yuni strikes back

Alex Gordon drew a one-out walk, then Betancourt tripled him home.

David DeJesus popped to Lopez, about 100 feet from home plate - and Yuniesky tagged and lit out for the plate. Inexplicably, shortstop Jack Wilson cut off the throw, and his relay was late - from 20 feet - and Betancourt scored on a pop out.

After four innings: Royals 5, Mariners 4

Seattle strikes back

Saunders dragged a beautiful bunt for a single and Ichiro walked before Branyan rolled a double past first base, scoring Saunders for the tie.

KC made a pitching change, going to Jamey Wright, who once spent a spring camp trying to become a Mariner.

With one out, Griffey was intentionally walked, loading the bases, and the Royals went after Beltre - who struck out, for the third time tonight.
Gutierrez beat out a single to third, with Ichiro scoring his third run. Johjima struck out.

In the sixth: Mariners 6, Royals 5

Yuni strikes back II

Olivo singled and with one out Betancourt - yes, that Betancourt - doubled him home to tie.

After six: Mariners 6, Royals 6

Wilson was safe at second base after his single and Gordon's error, and Saunders dropped a bunt so good that he beat the throw - even with the Royals expecting it.

With one out, Branyan singled, picking up RBI #58, and the Mariners reclaimed the lead.

In the seventh: Mariners 7, Royals 6

And in the end

David Aardsma in the bottom of the ninth, asked to protect a one-run lead for his 26th save?

He did it, hitting 97 mph on the Kansas City radar gun, but not before loading the bases, in part by missing a comebacker that charitably ruled a hit.

The Mariners are now 55-51 - nine games out of the American League West lead.

It's a final: Mariners 7, Royals 6

Erik Bedard continues making slow, steady progress back from shoulder inflammation that landed him on the disabled list, but the Seattle Mariners don't think he'll be ready to pitch when he's first eligible on Aug. 10.

"That would be tough, unless we'd sent him out before or had him on a pretty short leash," manager Don Wakamatsu said.

On Tuesday, Bedard threw 25 pitches in a pre-game bullpen session - what trainer Rick Griffin called a 'touchy-feely' session in which Bedard felt no pain his first time on a mound.

"I felt OK," Bedard said.

Another step in the process will be tomorrow and how the shoulder feels a day after testing it.

"If we have the same discomfort, we'll have him checked out," Wakamatsu said. "We had him checked out the first time he went on the DL, and he was fine."

Bedard thinks he simply tried to come back too quickly - his call, not the Mariners - and was hit with tendinitis.

The Seattle Mariners have activated third baseman Adrian Beltre from the disabled list, and designated infielder Chris Woodward for assignment.

The move allows Beltre to start tonight's game with Kansas City, and gives the team 10 days to trade, release or outright Woodward to the minors - if he clears waivers.

They didn''t guarantee I'd be back in September, but obviously I'd love to be," Woodward said. "They told me that Jack (Hannahan) could play shortstop and second base in a pinch. Unless I'm claimed off waivers, I'll finish the season in Tacoma."

Beltre is back from surgery on his left, non-throwing shoulder, and anxious to play the rest of the season. Without him, the Mariners tried Woodward at third, then acquired left-handed hitting Hannahan in a trade last month.

Beltre was batting .259 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 73 games before going on the DL June 29. In 20 games, Woodward batted .239.

There have been mentions of some of the players signed in the international free agency period by the Mariners. Well, today we got the complete list from Vice President of Intertnational Operations Bob Engle.

The jewel is outfielder Guillemro Pimentel of the Dominican Republic.

"A kid with a left-handed power bat," Engle said. "He's extremely strong with a good approach to hitting. He has a crisp, compact stroke and both drives and lofts the ball."

Here's the list ..

From Colombia:
IF Diego Mina

From the Dominican Republic:
OF Guillermo Pimentel
OF Alfredo Morales

From Korea:
C Ji-Man Choi (gee-mon CHOY)
RHP Seon-Gi Kim (sun key KIM)

From Panama:
RHP Waldy Alvarez

From Venezuela:
3B Andres Brito
OF Alexy Palma
RHP Julian Alvarado
RHP Daniel Mata

Small bios and comments from Engle below

=> Read more!